John Cam Hobhouse's 1859 publication provides a detailed account of his travels to Italy between 1816 and 1854. The two volumes contain informative descriptions of the places, people and politics of nineteenth-century Italy, and the reader will gain fascinating insights into the close relationship between Hobhouse and Lord Byron. The first volume covers a number of cities including Milan, Venice and Verona, while the second focuses on the churches, monuments, temples and ruins of Ancient Rome. Providing a mix of entertaining anecdotes and historical information, the volumes explore afresh 'a country now made accessible by a few hours journey and familiar to us by every mode of illustration', acquainting the modern traveller with the Italy 'of times long past'.